IAESTE Ireland –Welcome Booklet 1 © 2011, Léargas, The Exchange Bureau

IAESTE Ireland Arrival Guide

www.leargas.ie/iaeste

IAESTE Ireland Léargas, King’s Inns House, Parnell Street, Dublin 1

IAESTE Ireland –Welcome Booklet 2 © 2011, Léargas, The Exchange Bureau

Congratulations on being accepted for an IAESTE traineeship in Ireland! We want you to have an interesting and entertaining time in our country, and we’re here to help you do that. Please read the information in this guide very carefully before your arrival to make the most of your traineeship!

If you would like to know more about living in Ireland, please look at the “Ireland Information Guide”. But first of all, you might be wondering …

Who is IAESTE Ireland? Ireland has been a member of IAESTE since 1962 and has received over 2,000 trainees. IAESTE Ireland is managed by Léargas, The Exchange Bureau. This is a government agency based in Dublin, which manages several international programmes. As such, IAESTE Ireland might operate a little differently than IAESTE in your home country. There is only one member of staff working on the IAESTE Programme, and a small number of volunteers helping around the country. This means that we can’t do everything we would like; for example, meeting all trainees at the airport and showing them around their towns is physically impossible for us. However, we will do everything we can to ensure you have a great traineeship and are always here at the end of the phone or email to help you with any questions you might have! Neha Choudhary IAESTE Ireland National Secretary Address: Léargas, Kings Inns House, Parnell St. Tel: (01) 8871209 Email: iaeste@leargas.ie

Contacting the IAESTE Office: The IAESTE Ireland office is currently located in the Léargas office at 189 Parnell Street, Dublin 1, in Dublin city centre. Coming from the bus station, it’s just a 10-minute walk. The Léargas office is beside 'Cycleways' bicycle shop, opposite the ILAC shopping centre.

Please note! As Ireland is part of the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA), trainees from outside the EEA may require work permits or visas to come here. Switzerland is usually exempt from these regulations. Information for non-EEA/Swiss trainees is given in boxed text like this throughout the arrival guide.

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Important: IAESTE Ireland is here to help you with any questions or difficulties you have during your traineeship. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any query, big or small. Remember too that there are four parties involved in every traineeship: you, your employer, IAESTE Ireland and your sending IAESTE committee. Any action carried out affects all four parties, so it is vital to keep everyone informed!

Before you leave: Before you leave your country for Ireland, you should make sure that you have:

• Returned your N5 forms with full details of your arrival • Arranged comprehensive health and liability insurance for your stay in

Ireland, as well as any outside countries you wish to visit. IAESTE Ireland cannot be held responsible or liable for any accident that may occur during their stay in Ireland.

• Applied for your European Health Insurance Card – see http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=559 for details.

• Informed your family/friends of the contact details for IAESTE Ireland.

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What to bring: Sleeping bag: not usually required for hostels, but useful if staying the night at others’ houses Plug adaptor/transformer: Mains electricity is supplied at 220 Volts. Plugs are flat with three pins.

Rain gear:

Before you leave – non-EEA/Swiss trainees In addition to the above, trainees from outside the EEA/Switzerland should make sure that they have a valid work permit and entry visa (if required) for Ireland. IAESTE Ireland will apply for your work permit after receiving confirmation of acceptance and send it to you before your arrival. Make sure you put the work permit in your hand baggage, as you may have to show it at the airport. It is a good idea to leave a photocopy of the permit with a trusted friend at home too. Citizens of some countries require an entry visa to come to Ireland. This must be applied for at your nearest Irish Embassy before you come to Ireland. It is usually easier to obtain the visa after receiving your work permit. Please contact IAESTE Ireland if you or the Embassy have any queries about your visa. If your internship is less than three months, then you need to apply for the Atypical Working Scheme (http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/atypical-working-general) and an internship visa after you get this permission. A complete list of visa-required countries is available from http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=8777. IMPORTANT: Northern Ireland is part of the U.K., not part of the Republic of Ireland. The U.K. has separate visa requirements, which you can check at www.ukvisas.gov.uk. If you intend to visit the U.K. or Northern Ireland, or even to transit through them, you must check if a visa is required. You should ideally arrange for a UK visa before coming to Ireland and get a multiple entry visa for Ireland to allow you to return.

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Ireland is a wet country!!! On the up side, this is what makes it so green. But on the down side, you can expect to get soaked several times during your time here. A portable rain proof jacket will be your best friend on many days! International Student Identity Card (ISIC): Useful for discounts on a range of goods and services. Money: You should bring enough money to cover at least your first month’s expenses, and bear in mind that Ireland can be quite expensive. IAESTE Ireland recommends you bring at least €1,000 for your first month, as you may have to pay a refundable deposit on your accommodation.

Photocopy of your birth certificate: When you apply for a PPS number (see below) or open a bank account, you will be asked for proof of identity. It is useful (though not essential) to have a photocopy of your birth certificate for this purpose. Some countries issue ‘long form’ and ‘short form’ birth certs. The long form is the better one to bring.

Arriving in Ireland:

If you are not being met at arrival you will be given details of how to make your way to your accommodation. There are connecting buses from all airports to the major bus and rail centres and information desks are also available to help you. From Dublin Airport, the bus number 747 (called Airlink, every 10-15 minutes) will bring you to the city centre or to Busáras, the central bus station. It costs €6 one way and leaves directly from the exit of the airport.

After arrival: 1. Get a PPS Number All trainees must apply for a PPS (Public Personal Service) number as soon as possible after arrival. This number entitles you to be employed in Ireland and without it you will be taxed at the emergency rate (almost 50%!).

If you have a work permit and/or entry visa, show these to the immigration officer at the airport. If there are any difficulties, ask the immigration officer to call IAESTE Ireland at (01) 887 1223. The immigration officer might remind you to register at a Garda (police) station after your arrival (see “Garda Registration” below).

Non-EEA/Swiss trainees will have to register with the Gardaí (police force) when they arrive in Ireland. The fee is €150 so bring enough extra money for this.

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To obtain your number you will have to make an appointment to go to your local Social Welfare Office. To find your nearest office, call 1890 20 23 25 or see: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Topics/PPSN/Pages/ppsncontact.aspx. It might be worthwhile to make this appointment in advance of your arrival on https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/topics/appointments/ppsn-appointment/. Currently the government is reducing the number of offices to one per county, so you should call the office in advance to confirm opening times and that PPS numbers are issued there. When you get to the Social Welfare Office, you will have to fill in an application form and provide proof of your identity. You must bring all of the following:

• Current valid passport • Evidence of living in another country; this means evidence of birth,

work, unemployment, residence, tax liability or education*. • Evidence of address in Ireland (ask your landlord for a letter) • A note of your employer’s PAYE Registration Number.

It is very useful to have a letter from your employer (on headed paper) stating your accommodation address and that you are a temporary employee, and giving the employer’s PAYE registration number. Again, if there are any difficulties please ask the Social Welfare Officer to call the IAESTE office. Complete information about PPS numbers is available from: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Topics/PPSN/Pages/ppsnindex.aspx 2. Get a Certificate of Tax Credits or Tax Exclusion Order Once you have your PPS number, either you or your employer should apply for a Certificate of Tax Credits by completing Form 12A (included at the back of this guide). Take the completed form, your passport and PPS number to your local tax office (ask your employer where to go). Completing this form ensures that you will be taxed at the correct rate, so fill it in and give it to the tax office as soon as possible. This will give them time to sort things out before your first pay-day. The tax office will then send you and your employer a Certificate of Tax Credits, which sets out in detail the amount of tax credits due to you (i.e. how much tax you will have to pay). If you had to pay emergency tax before getting your tax certificate the excess will be returned to you with your next payment. For more information on taxes, go to www.revenue.ie and choose ‘Personal Tax’, then ‘PAYE Employee’.

*Non-EEA trainees can use their work permit instead of proof of living abroad.

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Tax Exclusion Orders: Some trainees may be exempt from paying income tax (but they will still have to pay PRSI – Pay Related Social Insurance). The conditions for this are: 1. The trainee cannot spend more than four months in Ireland, from the date

of arrival to the date of departure 2. The trainee’s total earnings cannot exceed the single person’s tax credit

(€1,650 in 2019)

If these conditions apply to you, IAESTE Ireland will apply for a ‘Tax Exclusion’ Certificate for you. This can only be done after you receive your PPS number, so when it is issued please let us know and we’ll apply for the certificate. Please also let your employer know you are applying for a tax exclusion cert. and will not need to file Form 12A. 3. Opening a bank account: It is most likely that you will have to open a bank account during your stay in Ireland to be paid by your employer. This can take some time, so it is important to get it started as soon as possible! Check with your employer when you arrive if they need you to have an Irish bank account for paying wages. There are strict compliance rules which banks in Ireland have to prevent fraud. Therefore, you will need the help of your employer! Ask your employer to write up a letter (see the sample letter below), on headed paper, addressed to the manager of the bank of which your employer is a customer (i.e. your company’s bank). Included in this letter should be your passport number, your date of birth and most importantly your accommodation address. Have the letter signed by the employer. It may be helpful to have your employer call the bank before you go there to inform the bank that you will be opening an account. Bring this letter and your passport as well as your PPS number and any other required information to the branch of the bank where your employer is a customer. This makes the process easier. If there are any problems which your employer may be able to help with, ask the bank to call your employer. Sample Letter from Employer: The Manager Bank Bank Address 13 June 2011 Dear Manager,

IAESTE Ireland –Welcome Booklet 8 © 2011, Léargas, The Exchange Bureau

I would like to introduce, <student>, who is employed on a temporary contract with <company>. <student>’s place of employment is <company address>, at the offices of <company>. <student>’s passport number is <passport no.>, his/her date of birth is <date of birth> and his/her residence in Ireland is <accommodation address>. As customers of the <Bank>, <company> would greatly appreciate it if you would assist <student> in opening an account with your branch. Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely, <Employer>, <Position>, <company> Banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 10am to 4pm, except Bank holidays. ATM machines in Ireland will accept most major credit cards.

Accommodation: IAESTE Ireland is modestly staffed and thus may not be able to find accommodation for you. We will assist you with looking for an accommodation and provide help in whatever way we can closer to the arrival date. Please do not pay for any accommodation prior to arriving in Ireland or confirmation from myself or one of the LC members who might view the place for you. I would recommend that you book into either an Airbnb or a hostel for the first few days so you have time to view rooms around the city. Some housemates may want to meet you in person before confirming the accommodation for you in the shared houses. In Ireland, most rental places will ask for a month’s

Garda (Police) Registration for non-EEA/Swiss trainees:

If you are a non-EEA/Swiss trainee who intends to stay in Ireland for more than 90 days, or who is in possession of a work permit, you will need to register with the local Garda Registration Officer. Trainees in the Dublin area can do so at the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) Office, 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2. In other areas you should contact the Superintendent's office for the Garda District in which you live. If your employer doesn’t know where this is, call the local Garda station and ask.

You will be issued with a registration certificate (commonly known as a 'green book') and granted further permission to stay in Ireland, generally for the duration of your work permit. Please note that the registration fee is €150, and this is only payable by debit/credit card, or by bank giro. Full details are available from http://garda.ie/Documents/User/feeinformation.pdf.

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deposit and first month’s rent in advance. Below are a few websites that I would look at for finding accommodation. http://www.daft.ie/ https://schoolhousecourt.com/prices-rates/ http://homes.usi.ie/property/digs/ https://www.myhome.ie/rentals/dublin/share/shared-accommodation https://www.spotahome.com/dublin https://www.collegecribs.ie/search/ https://www.airbnb.ie/

Health: Emergency health care Emergency health services in Ireland provide medical attention for accidents or sudden illnesses. Emergency health services can be provided by a doctor (GP - General Practitioner), ambulance staff or by visiting the Accident and Emergency department of a hospital. Nationals of EU/EEA member states and Switzerland visiting Ireland are entitled to health services for most conditions. These services are provided free of charge through the public health system on production of a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). Services provided by a doctor (GP) or private hospital are not covered, and you must pay for these yourself or have insurance to cover them. Emergency phone number: 999 / 112 Non-emergency health care Entitlement to health services in Ireland is primarily based on residency and financial means, rather than on your payment of tax or pay-related social insurance (PRSI). Any person, regardless of nationality, who is accepted by the Health Service Executive (HSE) as being ordinarily resident in Ireland, is entitled to limited eligibility (Category 2) for health services. Visitors to Ireland may be entitled to free and/or subsidised services in certain circumstances. Visitors from Australia: are entitled to urgent medical treatment here but are subject to hospital charges. Visitors will, on presentation of suitable identification (passport/evidence of residence in Australia) be entitled to hospital services as a public patient and will be invoiced for the relevant hospital charge. Visitors from countries outside the EU may be charged the full economic cost for any treatment provided here. Finding a doctor: Ask your employer or check this website www.icgp.ie/go/find_a_gp Links: Local health office www.hse.ie/eng/Find_a_Service/Local_Health_Offices/ Citizen’s information http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/

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Communication: Almost all IAESTE information will be sent to trainees by e-mail so it is important you can access your supplied e-mail address from outside your country! This is sometimes a problem with university-based e-mail addresses, so it can be easier to arrange a webmail address (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo). The Local Committee will also create a communication group through Whatsapp and are there to answer any questions you may have. If you have any doubts about your stay or traineeship, please contact us. We are here to help make your stay comfortable. Some useful links These links should help to facilitate your stay in Ireland:

Finishing your internship! When you finish work you should get a form P45 from your employer. This indicates how much tax you have paid while you were in Ireland. After four weeks not being employed in Ireland, you can claim a refund from the tax office of tax paid from wherever you are at that time, e.g. from your home

Links to housing websites www.daft.ie/ www.rent.ie http://www.studenthousing.ie/ https://schoolhousecourt.com/prices-rates/

Public transport for those who are staying in Dublin

www.dublinbus.ie www.luas.ie http://www.irishrail.ie/

Useful to plan a night out www.entertainment.ie/, www.lovindublin.ie

Buy online-tickets for all events www.ticketmaster.ie/

Low cost bus travel www.citylink.ie/

National bus service www.buseireann.ie/

National train service

www.irishrail.ie/home/

Public shared bike network

www.dublinbikes.ie

Leap Card A Leap Card is the transport card for Ireland which when topped up allows you to travel on discounted fares. T use it on the luas or tram in Dublin, you have to tap at the machines at the stops before getting on and after getting off.

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country. To do so you have to send a completed form P50 (First Claim for Tax Repayment during Unemployment) together with the form P45 to the tax office. Remember: If you have not paid tax, you cannot claim a refund! Shortly after you finish your traineeship, IAESTE in your country will send you a “Trainee Report” form to fill in. We ask you to comment on your traineeship and experience in Ireland generally. Please try to complete this form in as much detail as possible and return it promptly, so that next year’s trainees can benefit from your advice!

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Where to go in Dublin:

We look forward to seeing you in Ireland soon!

Bars Clubs Coffee Restaurants (Lunch & dinner)

Food Shopping

• Grogans (best Guinness in Dublin)

• The Stags Head • Brazen head

(‘oldest bar’) • Bernard Shaw (+

Pizza) • No Name bar • The Hairy Lemon • Idle Bar • Chelsea

Drugstore (cocktails)

• Market Bar • P. Macs • Blackbird • Sophie’s

(Rooftop) • The Living Room

(Sports Bar) • Garage Bar • Cassidy’s • The Globe • Whelans (live

music) • The Long Hall • Anseo • Vintage cocktail

Club • The Church • Harbour Bar

(Bray) • Doyle’s

• The Grand Social (live Music)

• The Workmans

• The George • Zico • WigWam • Pygmalion • SinE (live

Music) • The Liquor

Rooms • The Mezz (live

music) • Copper Face

Jacks (late night club)

• Diceys • Whelans • Opium Rooms • Krystal • Tengu • The sugar club • District 8

• Kaph • Clement and

Pikou • Bear Market

Coffee (Blackrock)

• Fallon & Byrne

• Roasted Brown

• Brother Hubbard

• Coffee Angel • 3FE • Wall & Keogh • Two Pups • Meet me in

the morning • The Coffee

Dispensary • Coffee

Together • Proper Order

Coffee • Vice Coffee • Curious

Monkey Coffee

• Container Coffee

• Nicks Coffee (Ranelagh)

• The Chocolate Factory

• Brother Hubbard

• Joe’s Coffee

• Taco Taco (Brunch)

• Joe Burger • Eatyard (outdoor

food market) • Umi Falafel • Sova (BYOB+

Vegan) • Leo Burdocks

(best fish and chips)

• Dun Laoghaire food market (Sundays)

• Little ass burrito bar

• The Ramen Bar • Yamamori • Isakaya • Ukiyo (Karaoke) • Nolita • Ray’s Pizza • Defontaines

(dance while you eat pizza!)

• Box Burger& Platform Pizza (Bray)

• The Fumbally • The Happy Pear

(Greystones & V) • Little bird (+Yoga) • Neon • Grove Road • Musashi (BYOB) • Tribeca • Bunsen • Poke • Kimchi

• Aldi • Lidl • Dunnes

Stores • Tesco • Nourish

(Vegan &Vege)

• Super-valu